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Children exposed to similar amounts of secondhand smoke before and after legislation: Study

The smoking ban in Wales has not displaced secondhand smoke from public places into the home. A study of 3500 children from 75 primary schools in Wales, published in the open access journal BMC Public Health, found that they were exposed to similar amounts of secondhand smoke before and after legislation, which should reassure those worried that exposure to smoking at home could increase following the ban.

23 Nov 2009

Media examines food summit reaction, malnutrition in Liberia, Yemen

VOA News reports on reactions from last week's U.N. World Summit on Food Security in Rome: "The delegates in Rome promised to continue efforts to reduce by half the number of hungry people by two thousand fifteen. But critics pointed out that world leaders made a similar promise more than ten years ago. Several countries promised to increase aid for agriculture, to help developing nations become more independent. Still, critics deplored a lack of greater action" (Simms, 11/22).

23 Nov 2009

Inadequate asthma control is present in 26% to 45% of children, says review

Asthma is the commonest chronic disease in children and a major reason for admissions to hospital, yet inadequate asthma control is present in 26% to 45% of children, states a review http://www.cmaj.ca/embargo/cmaj071638.pdf in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) www.cmaj.ca.

23 Nov 2009

Mutated IDH1 gene linked to the progression of gliomas

Agios Pharmaceuticals today announced that its scientists have established, for the first time, that the mutated IDH1 gene has a novel enzyme activity consistent with a cancer-causing gene, or oncogene.

23 Nov 2009

New technology to measure tissue elasticity introduced by GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare today introduced MR-Touch, a visual palpation technology that uses low frequency sound waves in combination with MRI to measure tissue elasticity. For centuries, clinicians have evaluated tissue stiffness—the physical property of tissue most affected by disease—through palpation. Based on technology invented at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) and licensed to GE Healthcare,

23 Nov 2009

Guardian examines challenge of testing, treating patients with HIV/AIDS in Kenya

The Guardian examines the challenge of testing and treating some of the estimated 1.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. "Deep-rooted stigma and patchy health education has led many to cower from the disease, which has seen the country's life expectancy rates shortened by 20 years in the last two decades," the newspaper writes. Even though "[t]he country's government has supplied antiretroviral therapy (ART) to suppress the virus to patients for free since 2006, … of the 390,000 adults estimated as being eligible for ART at the time of the survey, around 140,000, or 35%, were taking the medication," according to a 2007 country survey.

23 Nov 2009

AP/News-Observer examines state of vaccine research

The Associated Press/News-Observer examines revitalized vaccine research, including for such conditions as malaria, TB and HIV. "Vaccines are no longer a sleepy, low-profit niche in a booming drug industry.

23 Nov 2009

Alleged HIPAA violations by CVS Caremark, again

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), Consumer Action, U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), Patient Privacy Rights, Private Citizen, and Privacy Journal are asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate potentially illegal activity by CVS Caremark.

23 Nov 2009

"Wellness Workbook" from CIGNA to cope with holiday stress

Just in time to kick off the holiday season, now offers a free Wellness Workbook, “Coping With Holiday Stress: 10 Keys to Creating Healthy Holidays.” The workbook is available to the public at www.cigna.com.

23 Nov 2009

Flaxseed oil may reduce reduce the risk of osteoporosis

Animal studies suggest that adding flaxseed oil to the diet could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes, according to a report to be published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.

23 Nov 2009

Middle age women who store fat on their waist more likely to develop dementia when they get older: Study

Women who store fat on their waist in middle age are more than twice as likely to develop dementia when they get older, reveals a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy.

23 Nov 2009

Guideline controversy: 'Politics is always intruding into the world of breast cancer'

Kaiser Health News' Peggy Girshman talks with Dr. Barron Lerner about the politics surrounding the recent release of mammography guidelines.

23 Nov 2009

Doctor shortage issue heats up with reform efforts

The Miami Herald reports: "Some parts of the country already lack an ample supply of general internists, pediatricians and family physicians, forcing patients to drive further or wait longer for care. If a comprehensive health reform bill passes and extends coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, many are asking if there will be enough primary-care doctors to handle the increased demand for medical services."

23 Nov 2009

KHN column: Getting the bugs out of health reform

In this Kaiser Health News column, which is a collaboration with The New Republic, Jonathan Cohn, writes about health care's bugs.

23 Nov 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

But when it comes to making medical care not only cheaper but also better, reducing hospital infections is among the easiest changes to make--something reform really should be able to do, even in this political universe of such limited possibility (Jonathan Cohn, 11/23).

23 Nov 2009

Congress takes aim at elder abuse

As part of a collaborative effort with the Los Angeles Times, Kaiser Health News staff writer Rick Schmitt reports on developments related to elder abuse. "About 11 percent of people ages 60 and older suffer from some kind of abuse every year. But as a part of health care overhaul legislation, lawmakers are taking steps that would for the first time establish a federal beachhead in fighting such abuse.

23 Nov 2009

ARAMARK Healthcare Canada earns RCO's Waste Minimization Gold Award in Communications

ARAMARK Healthcare Canada’s Environmental Stewardship Initiative has earned a Waste Minimization Gold Award in Communications from the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) for the second straight year, further endorsement of ARAMARK’s effort to promote sustainability at nearly 200 healthcare facilities throughout Canada.

23 Nov 2009

'60 Minutes' on end-of-life health spending: 'Is there a better way?'

While all Americans will eventually die, CBS's 60 Minutes reports, it may turn some heads to find out how much the government will spend when it happens -- in 2008, about $50 billion in the last two months of life. "You might think this would be an obvious thing for Congress and the president to address as they try to reform health care. But what used to be a bipartisan issue has become a politically explosive one - a perfect example of the costs that threaten to bankrupt the country and how hard it's going to be to rein them in."

23 Nov 2009

MHCC's initiative for homeless people living with mental illness

Moncton is one of five cities selected by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) for implementation of its ground-breaking national research project to find the best way to provide housing and services to people who are living with mental illness and homelessness. Using a 'Housing First' approach, the research project focuses on first providing people who are homeless with a place to live, and then the other assistance and services they require. The goal is to see if this approach is better than traditional 'care as usual'.

23 Nov 2009

BioTrends Research Group releases Wave 2 report on AMAG's Feraheme

BioTrends Research Group, Inc. released Wave 2 of its LaunchTrends(TM): Feraheme report, the second in a multi-phase syndicated market research project tracking the launch of AMAG's new IV iron product, Feraheme, through the first six months of product availability. Each wave of the report provides quantitative information from 50 unique Nephrologists and qualitative information from a subset of 15.

23 Nov 2009